Face primers

Face primers on trial

A face primer is a great addition to your make up bag as it not only prevents your make up sliding off your face halfway through the day, but also evens out skin tone and gives your face a healthy glow so you can even use it instead of a foundation. With this season\'s new fresh faced trend there are a mind boggling array of primers out there so we\'ve tried and tested the lot and brought you our top ten. Read on to find out which ones made the cut...

Benefit that gal brightening face primer, £19.50

Talk about noticeable difference - after slipping this face primer on before my makeup, my skin looked fresh and bright plus all my imperfections (spot scars, red blotches and the like) were virtually impossible to see. On top of that I also loved the way this primer smelt - kind of like Angel Delight - which must be down to the raspberry and sweet almond ingredients. It can also be used throughout the day on top of makeup to give you complexion an extra lift. Very nice indeed. 5/5

Stockist: benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Laura Mercier foundation primer, £26.43

I definitely noticed a difference in how my skin looked after wearing this primer. My complexion was immediately brightened and perfected and my makeup stayed fresh looking all day. Filled with good ingredients like vitamins A, C & E to protect your skin from the outside world, you can also refrigerate this primer so it acts as a cooling agent to reduce puffiness. 5/5

Stockist: spacenk.co.uk

Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector, £21.05

This product feels really nice on the skin and can be used alone, over your usual moisturiser and under foundation. I used it alone and found that it really evened out my skin tone and made my skin glow. It made my blemishes appear smaller and made some dark eye shadows look like I\'d only stayed up until 11 instead of four in the morning! Always a bonus. When I used it underneath my usual foundation for extra coverage I found my make-up stayed put for far longer than usual and I didn\'t have to touch up before heading out in the evening. 4/5

Stockist: boots.com

Ruby & Millie Pre Base Formula, £9.50

This primer had a great peachy shade which warmed up my pale complexion and left my skin with a subtle glow. I applied my usual mineral foundation over the top  and, although I expected the extra layer to make my skin greasy, it had the opposite effect, keeping my skin matt for most of the day. I needed a touch up at lunchtime and the primer didn\'t seem to help keep my make up on any longer but other than that, a great option for days after a late night. 3/5

Stockist: boots.com

Estee Lauder Face Primer Plus Colour Correcting Base, £18.60

I was very sceptical about using a primer (once I had found out what it actually was!), but I loved this! It looked really yellow straight out of the tube, but blended in to match my skin tone nicely. It is (apparently) designed to reduce redness and I think it did quite a good job on my rosy cheeks. I have really dodgy combination skin, with oily bits and dry patches which means I don\'t often wear foundation as it tends to clump a bit and look generally not very nice! After using the primer though, my foundation went on much more smoothly and stayed on much longer. This one is a bit pricey, so if I could find a comparable one a little bit cheaper I would definitely recommend it! 4/5

Stockist: boots.com

MAC Prep+Prime, £15.66

MAC Prep + Prime was a great all over primer and helped to create a flawless look.  The product was silky smooth to touch, and applied evenly.  The only downside I found was that it caused a build up of foundation and so more time and care had to be taken over applying my second base.  The primer was oil-free so it didn\'t leave a greasy or sticky feel on my skin and felt very comfortable. It also boosts your natural production of collagen, so it should improve my skin\'s texture overtime. 4/5

Stockist: maccosmetics.co.uk

Lancome La Base Pro Perfecting Make Up Primer, £24.50

This silky clear primer smooths away fine lines and imperfect pores to instantly provide the perfect base for long-lasting foundation. The oil-free formula feels fabulous on your skin and gives professional results making it worthy of its price tag. 4/5

Stockist: lancome.co.uk

Avon Magix Face Perfector, £10

This super smooth thick gel gave my skin a real glow without making it greasy. It felt incredibly smooth on my skin and has the added benefit of having an SPF20 so I didn\'t have to worry about being out in the sun. Unlike other primers it didn\'t help keep my make up on or even out skin tone but it makes a great highlighter and made my skin look much healthier than usual. 4/5

Stockist: avonshop.co.uk

RMK Creamy Make Up Base Matt in 00, £20

Primers have always appealed to me as I don\'t really wear foundation, and with this one I don\'t think I\'ll ever have to! The translucent cream glides on giving great coverage with only a  small amount and it  really smoothed out the surface of my skin. The matte finish meant that there was not a hint of shininess and my blusher and highlighter sat comfortably on top and stayed put a lot longer without the need for touch ups. For a light and super smooth base, look no further! 4/5

Stockist: Selfridges - 0800 123400

No7 Shine Free Make Up Base, £10

This was my first step into the world of primers and either I was terrible or the product wasn\'t up to scratch. I followed the instructions carefully: moisturiser, primer and then foundation. This is where my trouble began. My foundation seemed to get stuck on the primer so blending became quite a challenge. After much rubbing I moved on to the rest of my make-up and then left the house feeling quietly satisfied I had conquered the awkward primer. Wrong - the sunlight showed just how much the foundation had clogged around my face. After this first application it did get easier and, though I have by no means mastered the art, my skin looks smoother and foundation seems to stay on for longer. I wouldn\'t recommend this for first timers though. 2.5/5

Stockist: boots.com